


Oath

by blueleaf_les



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Fellowship of the Ring, M/M, Rivendell | Imladris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:21:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24615982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueleaf_les/pseuds/blueleaf_les
Summary: before the journey of the Ring even starts, Legolas and Gimli have a while to talk to each other and learn they are quite different.
Relationships: Gimli (Son of Glóin)/Legolas Greenleaf
Comments: 9
Kudos: 38
Collections: Tolkien Gen Week 2020





	Oath

**Author's Note:**

> In the initial and final part i used the very text of the novel because i wanted to fill in the gap: the beginning and the ending are literally Tolkien's words, this is the original narrative, i have not changed a comma - just added a description of what happened between the conversation Gimli has with Elrond and the moment in which he and Legolas again join the company. if this was not what was suggested by the narrative, what else could they be talking about? why have they stayed behind?

‘Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens’ said Gimli.

  
‘Maybe’ said Elrond, ‘but let him not vow to walk in the dark who has not seen the nightfall.’

  
‘Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart,’ said Gimli.

  
‘Or break it’, said Elrond. ‘Look not too far ahead! But go now with good hearts! Farewell, and may the blessing of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you. May the stars shine upon your faces!’

  
‘Good… good luck!’ cried Bilbo, stuttering with the cold. ‘I don’t suppose you will be able to keep a diary, Frodo my lad, but I shall expect a full account when you get back. And don’t be too long! Farewell!’

  
Gandalf turned from Elrond with a dissatisfied nod of his head.

  
‘Old Bilbo, always the same!...’ he muttered to Aragorn, who frowned but said nothing. Legolas smiled lightly, as if he was not entering a dangerous road on which only deadly perils lay, but his beloved path in deepest forest under the shining stars of darkest skies. He wondered if Bilbo kept a diary of his days in the halls of Thranduil, king of Mirkwood. Little did he know about Bilbo’s book, since Elrond, Glorfindel and other Elven lords he had spoken to during his stay in Rivendell had more urgent matters to talk about than writings; even of such an important figure as Bilbo Baggins was. At least to this history.

  
He was, though, aware of the Dwarf’s interest in himself. He felt watched by him ever since they lost sight of Rivendell. He suspected he would soon be asked more about Gimli’s father's stay in Mirkwood. Hard as he tried to invent the most pleasant and mild way of explaining why exactly Thorin’s company was kept, well, prisoned, nothing came to his mind. Nothing he considered proper for the occasion. It was something different to give his account of prisoners’ behaviour in their stoney cells to Arwen and to be interrogated by someone related to the bearded birds he watched with concern and wonder throughout their, ekhem, ‘stay’. He couldn’t help colouring on the mere thought that Gimli’s father could have told him about an elf who was always coming with the guards bringing food to the prisoners and asking questions such as ‘how can you bear the thought of having such a short time to live? Is it not scary? Is it not depressing? And are you sure you are not wasting your time doing things that are not worthy?’.

  
Meanwhile, Gimli was watching each member of the company for a heavy burden was on his mind. The conversation with Elrond has shown him that his worldview is unpopular. Not that he did not know it; even other Dwarves considered him most prone to superstitions, and Dwarves are generally self-aware of their being superstitious to the highest extent. But such was Gimli’s lack of faith in the success of the quest he entered through his father’s advice, that he dreaded to go without fulfilling his little superstition. He wanted his own will strengthened and he knew the way. Now he was looking for a person to help him.

  
Gandalf was excluded straightaway and at once. He had the opinion of a troublemaker and Gimli could swear he would give his secret away by lack of care for such things. What was more, Gimli’s father thrice has warned him not to trust Gandalf in everything. ‘Follow him, for a good guide he is indeed’ he said, ‘but when it comes to Dwarf-business… you know, he approved of depriving us of the Arkenstone!’. Gandalf could not be the person.

  
Aragorn did not trouble Gimli’s mind either. Besides the fact that he was not willing to trust someone who used more than one name (and Aragorn had more names than all the rest of the company together, as it appeared), he was at every point allied to Elrond. Elrond said ‘no oaths’, so to ‘no oaths’ policy Aragorn will stick. There was no use trying to convince him.

  
Boromir?...

  
‘Oh, on the ever-shining crown of Durin! Could you four not be quiet for a moment, all of you?!’ hissed Gimli when the group of hobbits burst with laughter right in front of him. ‘You make more noise than…’

  
‘We are sorry, Gimli, but that was Pip alone’ said Marry, bowing to the Dwarf while walking his back front. ‘If you heard us all laughing…’

  
And they four did laugh. All at once. Aragorn turned his head to them and made an expression of unbearable pain. He was trying to lead them by the safest route.

  
Gimli slowed his pace. These four were also out of the question. He learned to admire Bilbo, but he had been informed back in Erebor that he was a rare example of a wise hobbit. Those four individuals could by no means be called wise, even though one of them was a Baggins and two others were related to this noble family.

  
Boromir, then? Gimli liked him. That was a man of strength, both physical and of will. Also Gimli heard him explaining to one elf back in Rivendell how he always tried to satisfy his father, Denethor. Gimli felt what his problem was and though they did not discuss the issue they shared, he felt bound to him already. But that was the thing that made him hesitate. He did not want a man to think he entered the company due to Gloin’s wish only. The choice was his and his father had but a small say in his decision. Gimli felt he was in the right place, whatever his father thought on the matter; but it did not make him less afraid.

  
He saw the messenger from Mordor demanding Dain’s collaboration in finding the One Ring. He dreaded the mere memory of it. He couldn’t bear the vision of the Shadow brought by this wraith enclosing him and everything he left at home. He was most aware that if nothing is done, the Shadow will swallow everything and no Dwarves’ domain will be strong enough to push back its creeping. In Rivendell it became clear to his mind that the shadow does not creep in hiding anymore. It strikes openly under the stars’ light.

  
Watching Boromir he understood he would loathe anyone to think he needs an oath to support his father’s order. And now he knew what he was seeking was not understanding: it was just pathos of the ritual to give him courage. Weak source though it was, he knew well he did not need more.

  
Slowly, he turned his head back to look at the Elf.

  
Legolas was watching the road they were treading. His stride was light, his face - clear and calm. It was visible that he was fixed on his task.

  
Gimli waited a while, when the Elf closing the company came nearer. The rest was moving faster now and the dwarf hoped that the conversation between them would not be heard by the people, hobbits and a wizard. Especially the wizard.

  
‘Master Elf!’ he began with a cough. Legolas looked down on him with his queer, shining eyes. They were now walking arm to arm, or rather - hand to shoulder. It occurred to Gimli that no better time for explanations will come, so he might as well start at once.

  
‘My name is Legolas, master Gimli of Erebor’ he said as sweetly as he could. Gimli gave him a wondering look. He felt a sudden shiver of uneasiness. He did not trust like that.

  
‘Yea, I know your name’ he grudged. Unconsciously he put his hand on the axe. ‘But that is not the matter now. I… I want to ask…’ he hesitated. Legolas frowned with even greater wonder. Gimli hated himself for not thinking over what he wanted to say. ‘Nae, I want to know if you are willing to… to… he… no, give me a hand at… well, take part in a small ritual of mine. Before we hit the road.’

  
Legolas could not say he was relieved, but he certainly was interested. In his father’s halls he observed some rituals performed by Dwarves in prison. He saw them reading omens and checking the signs. Also the two months in Rivendell, with Gimli and Gloin being themselves, taught him a but about the Dwarvish culture, and the bit said: it is much more complicated than you could observe from Mirkwood. He was fascinated with the doings he could not understand.

  
‘I feel honoured with such an offer’ he said quietly, looking into Gimli’s eyes. ‘What shall I do? How can I help you?’

  
Gimli bit his mustache.

  
‘Will you hold my oath?’ he asked as an answer. Legolas opened his eyes widely.

  
‘How exactly would you have it done?’, he asked. He was trying to look calm, but inside him a sheer panic burst out.

  
‘Master Elf, we do not have time now, I do not want others to hear’ he murmured. ‘Please let us stop for a while. It will only take a minute. And you just listen and say nothing, I don’t need validation! You get it?!’ he uttered sternly.

  
They stopped and in a low, melodic voice Gimli expressed his oath not to forsake Frodo, not to choose a way different to where he goes, unless any of the Fellowship’s members are at need, not to leave anyone from the company unaided, not to come back home before the quest is over, not to part with Frodo unless he is asked to by him alone.

  
Legolas listened to the oath with care and a kind of respect. He never knew one could need such an oath but he valued self-awareness of the Dwarf. He now understood the conversation Gimli had with Elrond.

  
'I understand you’, he said sadly when Gimli finished and put his axe again on his belt. The dwarf looked at him suspiciously. ‘I really do. I am one of the younger elves. Little do I remember and my life counts in few winters, in comparison to my kin. But I have been holding my bow since I could lift it, for Mirkwood was often besieged by orcs, often attacked and bitten with their evil presence. I am already used to the Shadow, but my fear is still fresh and grows anew with every occurence of danger. And I bow before you, Gimli, son of Gloin, because you are courageous enough to swear not to leave Frodo alone lest his burden does not overcome him. If I swore… I would feel weaker. I could only follow Frodo’s trail because my wisdom tells me it is good.’

  
And he really bowed to Gimli, who listened to him with doubt.

  
‘I do not know how much I can trust you’ he said finally, when it was time to go towards others, ‘you are still an Elf, you know.’

  
Legolas winced but did not respond. Gimli seemed not to have understood him. ‘He will gather it anyway’ he thought to himself with a kind of sadness he did not recognize, ‘once he sees how I fear our road’.

  
They quickened so that they wouldn’t fall behind. Soon they heard Gandalf’s conversation with Pippin.

  
‘...I suppose you never thought to look at them?’

  
‘Yes I did, sometimes,’ said Pippin, ‘but I don’t remember them. Frodo has a better head for that sort of thing.’

  
‘I need no map,’ said Gimli, who had come up with Legolas, and was gazing out before him with a strange light in his deep eyes.


End file.
